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From: wjm@lcuxc.UUCP (B. Mitchell)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re:CD vs LP
Message-ID: <358@lcuxc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Jun-85 12:57:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: lcuxc.358
Posted: Tue Jun  4 12:57:14 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Jun-85 03:08:44 EDT
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc.
Lines: 35

There are several things to consider in the CD vs LP discussion, and for
that matter, the larger digital vs analog discussion.
1)  There are advantages to storing audio performances in digital form,
such as the ability to edit without physically splicing the tape, the ability
to create copies that are exact duplicates of the master, without adding
noise, and increased immunity to tape defects (error-correcting codes can
compensate for some problems).
2)  However, there is no such thing as a free lunch.  One of my main concerns
about digital recording is that today's standards may NOT be adequate for
the demands of the future.  What happens to today's digital recordings and
equipment, if we decide that we want a higher performance digital standard
tomorrow??
3)  Today, the best LP playing equipment can perform as well as CD players,
but budget and moderate priced CD equipment runs rings around equivalently
priced LP equipment.  $300 to 500 CD equipment certainly outperforms $300 to
500 turntables and cartridges.  Also, the high end CD players are generally
cheaper than high end turntable systems.
4)  The CD also has the advantage of not degrading with each play, and not
being vunerable to scratches, spilled coffee, etc.
5)  Is the CD the wave of the future?  Yes, in some form, but I'm not sure
if the present CD standard will be the ultimate one, nor am I sure if the
ultimate CD will be compatible with today's model
6)  Is the LP obsolete?  Yes.
7)  Is the LP dead?  Far from it - there are many performances that will never
be re-released on CD, and right now CD pressing plants are severely backlogged.
There is an enormous number of LP players out there, and a large number of
people (not serious audiophiles) who are content to just buy an LP once in
a while -  sure if they had a CD player, they'd get CD's but they're not the
types to spend $500 or so on a CD player.
Also, with the CD plant backlog, small runs of disks will probably not get
produced for a while - so much for classical, jazz, and small record labels.
8)  Does digital sound worse than analog? Not if the digital equipment is
properly designed with digital anti-aliasing filters.
Regards,
Bill Mitchell ({ihnp4!}lcuxc!wjm)